Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-04-10

lures, aud he began 1t when he was seeu-
boy and midshipman under his cousi a
David III. Porter. His first experience, l,
think, was in the Mexican navy. After
four years there he entered the navy OF the
| United States, and wa engaged IN the
navy during the Mexican war. When the
civil war broke out he had risen to the
rank of q commander, and he did such
glorious service during the war that ne
came out n vice admiral. On the death oil
Farragut, seventeen years ago, Porter be-
came admiral of the navy, and has been al
the head of our naval forces ever since.
Admiral Porter lives on III street, within
q stones throw of the house of George
Bancroft, the historion, and within foul
blocks of the White House. He is in the
center of fashionable Washington, and all
around are the homes of many distinguish
ed men. His house is one of the largest
and finest of the capital. 1t is an immense
four-stOry brick, with brown stone trim
mings. A wide front door in the center is
reached by several steps, aud on each side
of this bay windows run from the hOor to
the roof. The front of the house is cover
ed with ivy and wOOdbine, and at its rlght
there is a gate which leads to the 4 ables
in the rear. The interior is elegantly
and luxuTiously furnished. 1t con-
tains memeutoes and curiOs from every
part of the world, and rich ornaments,
| costly clocks and vases, fine rugs and val
uble skins lie here and there. Nearly
every piece of furniture and ornament has
its history. A mantel seat in the parlor
made of gold bronze and lapis lazull was
=. NJ, ,,n,l,,. an1 a ypluahln
china vase near them was once the prop
crty of Mrs. Jefferson Davis. 1t was gwen
to Admiral Porter by Attorney General
| Devens, and Devens found 1t III the white
| House uf the COnfederacy after the de
flnct government had fled. The ceilings
of the house are very high and it IS one
of the roomiest house in the city. 1t is
a house with q history, and | can remem-
her only a few of the noted men who have
occupied It. Bich Rush built 1T when
Monroe was President, and its ball room
was added when the British Minister,
Lord Lyons, was its occupant. Hamilton
Fish once entertained il, and At one time
il was owned by Gen. Phil. kearney.
Admiral Porter has owned ii now for more
tdan eighteen years, and lila additions
have made it more beautiful than ever. 1t
is a mort hOspitable mansion, and though
the admiral does not pretend to give the
lavish entertainment of Secretary Whitney
in the next block his friends are always
welcome.
Il is in this house also that he. does his
work. His office is on the second floor,
entered by I'm easy flight Of stairs from the
parlOr. II is il large room and character
istic of the man. Finished in black wal
nut and with well lighted windows look
ing out upon II street, its walls are cover
ed with pictures and relics of naval en-
gagcments and naval heroes. The Admi-
rails great friends OF the past look down
uDOn him us he works. and which ever way
he may turn his eye he is sure To meet
some mcmento of the greatest fight of our
history. Over the mantrl there is a large
model of Ericson's destroyer, which covers
the whole Of the shelf and rises TO the
height of a foot ut the back. Above 1t
there are a number of pictures, and ut
right in two frames hang two auto
graph letters which the Admiral
prizes very highly. One Of these il
in the handwriting of Admiral Nelson and
the other is the last letter that Admiral
Farragut ever penned. On the opposite
side of the room is y black walnut frame
and hung against 4 red background there
is a collection Of weapons of all kinds and
shapes. Some of them are hundreds and
some are thousands of years old. There
are Chinese daggers and Damascus blades,
rudely made old rcvO!vers and silver spurs
with cruel teeth. A large medallion head
OF Christ in plaster hangs below the
case of arms, and under it are writ
ten the words, "Ecce Homo" The fur
niture OF this room is plain but comfort
able. Two antique mahogany tables